Propeller for vehicles that travel in a fluid.



No. 838,098. PATENTED DEG. 11 A. GAMBIN.

PROPELLER FOR VEHICLES THAT TRAVEL IN AA FLUID.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 16. 1006.

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No. 888,088. PATENTEE EEG. 11,1908.

l A. GAMBIE. PEOPELLEE EOE VEHICLES TEAT TRAVEL 1N A FLUID.

APPLIOATIUN. FILED FEB. 16. 1 906.

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W/TNESSESJ TH: Noluus Fxrrks ca. WASHINGTON. n. c.

ANDR GAMBIN, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PROPELLER FOR VEHICLES THAT TRAVEL IN A FLUID.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application led February 16, 1906. Serial No. 301,525.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ANDRE GAMBIN, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Propellers for Vehicles that Travel in a Fluid, of which the following is a specification.

In British specification N o. 1,140 of 1905 is described a propeller which mounted in front f ai ship acts by displacing centrifugally the u1 this manner a vacuum, as it were, into which the ship moves.

The present invention relates to improvements in propellers of this kind, as will be described with reference to the accompanying' drawings, wherein the propeller is shown, by way of example, applied to a ship, which preferably has a much elongated ovoid shape, diminishing from front to rear, and carries the propeller in front.

Figure l is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of the vessel. Fig. 3 is an elevation and Fig. 4 a plan of the front part of the vessel, drawn to an enlarged scale.- Fig. 5 is a front end elevation of the vessel and propeller, drawn to an enlarged scale. Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the principle on which the propeller is constructed. Fig. 8 illustrates a part of the construction in section. u

' The body A of the vessel terminates at its front end in a conical surface a a a and has a vertical keel and a rudder c. The keel extends along the whole of the body, and its lower edge is horizontal. Extendingfroin its front end to about its middle part the body of the vessel has on each side of its keel an obliquely downwardly directed fin d, designed to prevent the rolling of the vessel. Extending along the whole length of the body are lateral fins c, which are horizontal and preferably slightly curved downward in cross-section, Fig. 5. These are designed to give the vessel stability on or in the fluid and somewhat resemble the wings of a bird in form. Each has atits rear end a rudder f, turning on a horizontal axis, by which the vessel may be made to travel with greater or small draft and the list of the vessel may be rectified. These two rudders f f, turning independently of each other, coperate with the propeller at the other end of the vessel, for by inclining them more or less in different directions it is possible to counterbalance the torsional effect on the vessel of the propeller,

wherein the ship travels and forms in Which effect varies with the speed of revolution of the propeller. The fins d and e have a like tendency to counteract the torsional action of the propeller, and thus to insure stability at high speed.

The propeller is made of metal and has a conical cavity which fits over the coned surface a a c with sufficient play to enable the propeller to turn without friction together with the motor-shaft O, on which it is mounted. The number of the propeller-blades may vary, six being shown as an example.

The base of the propeller is a circle, and a cylinder of which this circle is the base would envelop the propeller. A part of the outer surface B of each bladeis coincident with the surface of this cylinder. This portion is included between a point m on the circumference of the base, the corresponding point m of the propeller-blade immediately in front of the one under consideration, and a point n in a line drawn at right angles to the base from the last mentioned point m. The points m on the circumference of the base are equidistant apart, and the edge m n of ea'ch blade makes an angle of about fortyve degrees with the base. The rest of the surface B is a helical surface, the edgey of which increases in n to the point 7L on the axis of the propeller.

The inner surface C of the blade is an irregular surface which slopes away from the edge m n o h of the blade until it meets the outer surface of the blade next in front, the angle of which the edge m n o h is the summit being not more than forty-five degrees, as shown in Fig. S. p

The propeller revolves in the direction indicated by the arrows in the figures and owing t0 its construction creates a suction in front of the vessel that causes the latter to travel forward at a speed depending on the speed of revolution of the propeller. To aid the propeller in penetrating the fluid in which it is operating, the propeller-blades may have extensions D. For instance, a thin crescent-shaped blade D mayextend from the point m to the point n of each propellerblade, its surface being normal to the cylindrical surface of the propeller-blade. To reverse the motion of the vessel, the direction of rotation of the propeller is reversed.

It is obvious that the diameter of the propeller may be varied in its relation to the cross-section of the vessel, according to the gradient from the point IOO peculiarities of the latter, its motive power, and the normal speed which it is to have. The best condition for speed, however, is that the cross-section of the propeller at its base shall be the same as that of the vessel.

There is no need to enter into the details of the construction of the propeller, as these will vary according to its dimensions. -The propeller may be made in one piece, all the blades being cast and the cylindrical and spiral surfaces being faced by mechanical work of some kind. It is preferable, however, to x the helical blades D, which are thin, in cast metal and to attach them by screws or bolts. It is equally possible to make each blade separately of a single piece or built up of several pieces and to mount all the blades on a common nave.

To avoid the inconveniences which may ensue from the wave of water produced in front of the vessel, the propeller may be surrounded by a drum more or less distant from it and open at both ends, thus allowing the water displaced by the centrifugal action of the propeller to pass away at the rear around the vessel. This drum need not impede the view of the helmsman and may even be used as a receptacle or support for a searchlight.

Propellers made according to this invention are particularly applicable to submarine vessels, but may be used for air-ships. When of reduced dimensions they may be applied to torpedoes, projectiles, or the like.

Having thus described the nature of my said invention and the best means I know of carrying the same into practical effect, I claim- 1. A propeller for vehicles that travel in a fluid consisting of blades arranged around an axis and extending from the point of the propeller to the periphery thereof, each blade being helical at first and then merging into a cylindrical surface which is extended to meet the cylindrical portion of the next blade and thus results in a cylinder as the form of the periphery of the propeller, substantially as described.

2. A propeller-blade whose outer surface starts as a cylindrical surface at the periphery of the propeller and merges into a helical surface as it continues to the oint, and whose inner surface is an irregu ar surface sloping away from the edge of the blade until it meets the outer surface of the next blade.

3. A propeller-blade whose outer surface starts as a cylindrical surface at the periphery of the propeller and merges into a helical surface as it continues to the point, and whose inner 'surface is an irregular surface sloping away from the edge of the blade until it meets the outer surface of the next blade, in combination with a crescent-shaped extension forming an auxiliary blade extending from the base of the propeller at an angle of forty-five degrees thereto to the point of intersection of the edge of the cylindrical surface of the blade with the edge of the helical surface, substantially as described.

4. A propeller for vehicles that travel in a fiuid consisting of blades arranged around an axis and extending from the point of the propeller to the periphery thereof, each blade being helical at first and then merging into a cylindrical surface which is extended to meet the cylindrical portion of the next blade and thus resulting in a cylinder as the form of the periphery of the propeller, in combination with a vessel having rudders turning independently of each other on horizontal axes, one on each side of the usual rudder turning on a substantially vertical axis, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 11th day of January, 1906, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ANDR GAMBIN.

Witnesses:

GABRIEL BELLIARD, FREDERIC N. CAULDUOEE. 

